30 ROYAL WATER-LILY. 



This noble production of the South American 

 waters, from its extraordinary and conspicuous ap- 

 pearance, could not fail to attract the early attention 

 of the native Indians, who inhabit the districts of 

 country where it is produced. No doubt, its large 

 floating leaves, which entirely cover the lakes and 

 streams (and to which the name of Irupe is given, 

 from their resemblance to the dishes used for hold- 

 ing water), must have often proved a source of an- 

 noyance in the navigation of the rivers where the 

 plant abounds; and, indeed, the aborigines of some 

 districts, at least, are under the belief that the large 

 prickles with which almost the whole plant is so 

 abundantly provided, are of a venomous nature, 

 and thus they refrain from coming into contact with 

 them a precaution which no European observer of 

 this magnificent production seems ever to have 

 thought of observing, while no evil consequences 

 seem to have followed the scratchings to which 

 botanical collectors have submitted themselves, in 

 their eagerness to possess specimens. Cautious, 

 however, as the Indians are in their intercourse with 

 this magnificent spinous Aquatic, they often manage 

 to possess themselves of its large fruit, half the size 

 of a man's head, for the sake of the numerous dark- 

 coloured seeds not so large as those of tares or 

 lentils which it contains. Although hard and shin- 

 ing on the outside, these seeds are quite soft and 

 mealy within, and the Indians use them as an article 



